Verloren
by RavenSylphe
Summary: In the year 845, titans shattered the wall, along with the illusory peace of everyday life. While most of humanity retreated behind Wall Rose, one district was forced to hide within its own walls. Isolated, they must defend and survive, without aid, against insurmountable odds and dangerous enemies. This is the story of Riesentöter, the last guardians of Wall Maria. The Lost.
1. Chapter 1: This Is It, the Apocalypse

**VERLOREN  
**Singeki no Kyojin / Attack on Titan fanfiction**  
**

_No matter how much you pray, nothing will change  
What changes this moment is the determination to fight_

* * *

_chapter one  
_THIS IS IT, THE APOCALYPSE  
_year 845; the fall of wall maria_

"Commander! Commander Hjördís!"

Hjördís looked up from her desk full of paperwork as two of her officers burst through the door to her office. Concerned and confused she rose from her desk. From their wide eyes and horrified expressions, she could already guess what had happened. "Ren? Lyse? What...what's the problem?" She could feel her throat drying and the blood draining from her face. _No. No! It can't be!_

Not taking the time to salute, the two ran to her, tears glistening in the corners of their twin pale blue eyes. "C-c-Commander! We j-just r-received word from upriver. I-it's...oh god!" Lyse stuttered out before burying her face in hands and crying heavy sobs.

Her twin wrapped his arms around her, trying to comfort his hysteric sister. "Commander, we received word from upriver." Ren continued his sister's report, his voice trembling and full of fear, "The worst possible thing has happened." He looks at her, his icy blue eyes quivering with terror and glistening with tears. "Wall Maria has fallen. Titans have broken through the gates of Shiganshina District."

Without a word in reply, Hjördís pushed past them and stormed out of her office, grabbing her 3d maneuvering gear from where it sat beside the door. Lyse and Ren followed close behind her, having to run to keep up with her long stride.

_This can't be happening. This can't be happening. _Hjördís kept thinking. _Is there time to get everyone out? How many can we save? _Her mind raced with so many ifs, whens, and hows. She had been trained to fight Titans, to save lives, and what to do in this exact situation. But no one could have predicted that it would happen. After 100 years of peace, everyone had believed it was safe forever, never having to see a titan or to fear their gaping mouths. They were wrong.

"Commander Hjördís! What are your orders?" The question came from the tall dark skinned man who fell in step beside her.

"Sotiris, I need you to collect Jeong Ji and Boris, and bring them to the conference room," Hjördís ordered as she finished strapping on her 3DM gear.

"They're already waiting for you there, Commander. They sent me to find you."

"I take it that everyone has heard the news then?" She questioned, not taking her eyes off the corridor ahead, lest she make eye contact and reveal to her subordinates just how terrified she was.

Sotiris shook his head with a deep frown. "Only those in uniform know for now, sir. But we won't be able to keep it from civilians for long."

Hjördís gave a grim nod. "Yes, we'll need to begin evacuations immediately."

"It's not just that, sir."

"What do you mean, Sotiris?" Only then did she take her eyes from her path to give him a quizzical and disturbed look.

"Commander." He looked over at her, his dark face grim and fearful. "The inner gate guard have spotted Titans coming from the Southeast. They'll be here in a matter of hours."

Giving only a small gasp, the Commander hurried down the corridor with renewed grim purpose, slamming open the doors of the conference chamber. It was a small chamber with a round table at it's center, at which sat two people in uniform. Hjördís took her seat at the 'head' of the table, marked with only a simple tapestry bearing the crest of the Garrison.

"We need to get moving immediately," Hjördís declared without any formalities.

"Of course, Commander," came a quiet reply from the small black haired woman with almond shaped eyes the color of steel.

"Then what are we waiting for?" came the booming reply from the man as big as an ox with a large curly brown beard.

Sotiris took the seat at Hjördís' right, sitting stiff with his hands on his lap to hide their shaking. "You orders, Commander?"

Hjördís looked at them all, her face grim but set and determined. Following a deep breath, she gave them her orders. "Jeong Ji," she spoke to the steel eyed woman, "I need you to take your regiment to the inner gate and prepare to fight against Titans. Your team is the most skilled with fighting Titans with the 3D Maneuvering Gear. The trees and the wall itself should provide you with plenty of anchors for maneuvering." She points at the twins standing in the doorway. "Take those two and the rest of the Advanced Guard with you." Her face deeply serious, she looks sternly at Jeong Ji, "You will be in charge of making sure the boats make it away from the wall."

Jeong Ji stood up from her chair and bowed deeply to her Commander. "I will not let you down, sir." She then turned and left, with Lyse and Ren running behind her.

Turning her attention to her two other Regiment leaders, she clenched her fists where they sat on the table. "Boris, you and your regiment are to ready the cannons along the wall. Concentrate them around the river. They'll be needed to at least stun the Titans so the ships can get away and so Jeong Ji and her team can kill them."

"Yes, sir!" The large man stood up from his seat, slamming his big hands on the table before rushing out the door.

Giving a small smirk, Hjördís then turned her attention to Sotiris. "You can already guess what I have planned for you."

With a nod, Sotiris also rose from his seat. "Yes, sir. Me and my men are to ensure a safe and orderly evacuation." He spoke as if reading from a book, "And to take those who cannot be evacuated to a safe location within the district."

Hjördís smiled with a nod, "Good, good. Get to it then." She sighed and stood up as well. "We don't have any time to waste."

* * *

A few hours later, Hjördís stood upon the wall and watched as Sotiris and his men finished loading people onto the ships. Soon the river gate would open and the ships would be underway for the Klorva District of Wall Rose. Hjördís and all of her soldiers knew that they wouldn't be able to fit everyone on those ships. Most of the women and children, some of the more important men, but most of the old and the sick would have to stay behind. It was a sad fact, but they couldn't save everyone, no matter how hard they tried. Their only hope was to save as many as possible, even if they lost their lives in the process.

The whistling of wire proceeded the appearance of Aderyn Telyn, Sotiris' short red-haired second in command. Giving her a short salute, Aderyn approached.

"Your report, soldier?" Hjördís requested without taking her eyes off the river and the boats filled to bursting..

"We're almost done with loading the boats, sir. The men at the gate wait your command."

Hjördís nodded and raised a hand to summon Boris over to her side. "Boris, is there any signs of Titans within the vicinity?"

"They're still far off, sir. The ships should be well underway before they arrive." The giant gave his report with his token over confidence. "Jeong Ji and her people are in position on the roof tops and in the trees outside the gate just in case."

Hjördís gave another nod of approval. "Good. Once the ships are out, there's no turning back. It is to be closed as soon as all ships have passed through." She turned to Aderyn and ordered, "Tell the men at the gate to wait until the ships are close before opening the gate. Even with Wall Maria compromised, we cannot let any Titans into the district."

"Yes, sir." Aderyn gave her another salute before jumping over the edge of the wall and maneuvering down towards the gate house.

As Hjördís turned her attention back to the ships, Boris moved to stand beside her, clasping his hands behind her back. "Do you think we'll be able to get them out in time?"

Hjördís took a deep breath before answering, "We have to. There is no other option open for us."

"And what about those who have to be left behind." The giant man's voice turned melancholy.

Looking up at him, Hjördís gave him a sad smile as she placed her hand on his shoulder. "We'll just have to find a way to survive."

"The boats are beginning to move, sir!" announced one of Boris' men.

She looked away from Boris, back down at the river to see that they had in fact started up the river. Even from where she stood atop the wall, Hjördís could tell that chaos was ensuing amongst the crowd of those who would be forced to stay. _Sotiris can handle it_, she reminded herself for the umpteenth time in the last hour. With a deep sigh, she turned her attention from the boats to the other side of the wall, gazing out at the horizon. "Any signs of Titans close by?"

"Not yet, sir! Captain Jeong Ji hasn't signaled yet eith-wait!" a young Sandy haired cadet cut herself short as she gazed down at the abandoned town below.

"What is it, Cadet Chastain?" Hjördís approached the young woman, looking down in the direction she was. They could see flashed of light coming up from one of the roof tops.

"A signal from Captain Jeong Ji, sir," The cadet replied. "Two..no three titans, all three to six meter classes, have been spotted coming through the forest. Her team is already working to intercept them."

"Shit," Hjördís cursed under her breath. "How did they pass unnoticed until now?"

"Should we halt the boats, sir?" the question came from the giant, who had become noticeably paler.

After thinking for a moment, Hjördís shook her head. "No, we go ahead as planned." She turned from the edge and walked down to the stone just above the river gates. "If we wait too long, we'll have more than just a few small titans to deal with."

It wasn't long before the ships had passed under her feet and were on their way upstream, the gates closing behind them. Things looked to be running smoothly, but things rarely stay that way in times of war.

"Commander!" Cadet Chastain called from her post, staring down at the town.

"What is it, Cadent?" Hjördís jogged over to the Cadet, her brow furrowed.

Cadet Chastain looked up at her Commander with a mask of fear on her face. "Captain Jeong Ji...has reported more titans heading this way. Eleven in total coming through the forest."

"Commander!" Before Hjördís has time to reply to Chastain's report, a scream comes from farther down the wall. "More titans running this way from the south east! They'll be here in a matter of minutes!"

Panic swelling up in her, Hjördís grabbed Chastain and commanded her, "Send a signal to Jeong Ji to get her ass and her men to the riverside. We need to keep those ships safe!" She let her go and marched over to Boris. "I need you to get your cannons in position and get ready to fire at those fleshy bastards." Without listening to his reply, she grabbed the nearest soldier and shouted in his face. "I need to you to get Sotiris and his men up here at once! Go! Go!" She pushed the lad away, almost off the wall as she walked to the other side, unsheathing her blades and preparing to jump.

"Commander, stop!" The giant's hands grabbed her shoulders and held her in place. "Keep your head, Hjördís. Let Ji and her men handle this for now." He forcefully turned her around, and bent down to look her in the eye. "You are needed up here. So long as you are giving commands, the soldiers will keep their confidence and continue fighting." With a deep grunt he straightened up, his hands falling from her shoulders. "But as soon as you join the battle, they'll begin to loose hope."

Hjördís stared up at the giant man, confused. "Boris..."

Boris brought up a giant hand to silence her. "Don't say a word, Commander. I uh...I better go check on the cannons." With a blush barely visible under his large beard, Boris hurried off down the wall to where all the cannons were set and waiting to fire, shouting out commands to the scurrying cadets.

With a small chuckle, Hjördís turned back to survey the outside of the wall. Her chuckle, died in her throat as she spotted the titans that had been called out a moment before. There were three of them, all 15 meter classes, moving fast. They were headed right for the boats.

Hjördís fought hard against herself to keep from diving off the wall, but Boris had been right, her men needed her to remain calm and stable. _Where are Jeong Ji and her men?_ She worried to herself, her eyes flashing between the edge of the forest, the rooftops of the abandoned town, the boats, and the charging titans. _Where are they?_

Her worries were quickly answered by the whirring of gas powered gears and the whistle of flying wires as Jeong Ji and her men flew out of the trees and maneuvered to intercept the titans coming across the fields. Normally, they would have the disadvantage in open fields, but Hjördís' predecessor, Commander Rein Stark had installed tall columns of stone of varying height and distance apart for, as he had stated, "advanced and continued training. We have to keep our skills sharp Hávarðr. With our district named Riesentöter, we can't be anything less than the best titan slayers, can we?"

_Riesentöter. Giant slayer. That's right. _Hjördís smiled at the memory. The old man had been right, their garrison held some of the best disciplined guard in the entire military force. Where other garrisons had become lax and lazy during the one hundred years of peace, prone to drinking on the job, their troops worked hard to stay sharp, to stay in shape, to be ready for the day their skills would be needed. _The old man must have been able to see the future or something. If he were still here he'd be laughing like a madman and demanding I pay some bet never made._ With a sad sigh she tugged a necklace out from under her shirt. It was a simple gold chain with a silver ring as it's only adornment, the symbol of her position as Riesentöter's Garrison Commander. It was large enough to fit around two of her fingers and bore the crest of Riesentöter; a giant skull pierced by a sword of old design, entwined by thorn laden vines and carefully carved roses. _I hope you're watching over us, Rein. We'll need your guidance to see this through, _she silently prayed as she pressed the ring to her lips. She then quickly tucked it back into her shirt and turned her attention back to her surroundings.

Around her she could hear the grunting of men and iron as the cannons were moved into position and aimed. Sharp clanks sounded as the cannons were locked into position. The smell of gunpowder stung her nose as they were loaded; gunpowder pressed tight, then shell slid into place. Soon the signals would come Jeong Ji and Boris would give the order to fire. Then would come the deafening boom of the cannons and, even over the distance from the top of the wall to where the titans were, she would hear the stomach turning sound of exploding flesh.

"Commander Hjördís!" came a shout along with the stomping of boots. Hjördís turned to find Sotiris with some of his subordinates behind him, the rest making their ways up the wall. Sotiris saluted her as he caught his breath. "You..called for us, sir?"

Hjördís turned to return his salute. "Yes, Sotiris. I need you and your men to scout the forest and town for titans while Jeong Ji and her regiment intercept titans coming over the fields-"

"Fire!"

Then came the deafening boom she had predicted cutting off her command. She turned quickly to watch the cannonball sail through the air and strike a titan's torso, effectively blasting it in half; Hjördís' stomach turned as the other sound she had predicted reached her ears. The glint of blades and wires sparkled around the fallen titan as Jeong Ji and her team focused in on it; a plume of blood spiraled in the air as someone struck the finishing blow. The glints could be seen as the regiment departed in order to get away from the two titans that were still standing. Hjördís could just barely make out a woman's scream as a titan snatched someone out of the air who had been a second too slow. Despite the tragedy, she smiled as she watched, though all she could see of them was the glint of steel, as Jeong Ji's regiment maneuvered into position on pillars behind the titan holding its victim. Sparkles to the right hinted at a number of soldiers leading the other titan away so the others could kill the one with less risk of more casualties. Two plumes of blood appeared with this kill; Hjördís guessed they had struck at the titan's hand as well to free the woman from its grasp. The titan fell atop the smoking corpse of the already slain and began evaporating as well.

Glinting signals appeared from atop of a tower to the right as the team signaled for cannon fire, the speed and procession of flashes giving directions for aiming so the shell would cause the most damage to the titan as well as which shell to use; pomegranate or grapeshot. Orders given once, twice, three times before the team in the field dispersed to draw the titan to wherever they needed it to be. On the wall Cadet Chastain reported the orders to Boris who shouted them to the men working the cannons. Again came the clicks and grunts and groans as the process of loading and positioning the cannons began again.

In that time, Sotiris and his men had left the wall and were making their way down to the trees and town. Hjördís stood alone atop the wall, apart from the rest of the chaos, watching all with an expert eye, looking for where her command might be needed. Everything was flowing so smoothly, perfectly. But there's no such thing as perfection in war. Plans live shorter lives on the battlefield than soldiers.

Suddenly, cries arose from the watches and signals came frantically from the fields. "More titans incoming fast!" Then came flares from the forest; black. One after another they rose from among the branches. Up on the wall Hjördís could see the trees shaking and rocking, following closely behind the appearance of the flares. Following the line it was making, Hjördís could easily see where it was headed. The river. The boats.

"Aims the cannons along the river! They're going for the boats!" Her voice rang above the chaos as she hurried down the wall to Boris and the cannons. "The river! Aim at the river!"

Before the cannons could move an inch, another black flare rocketed into the sky just moments before something large burst out of the trees. It was a titan unlike any that Hjördís had ever seen before. It was approximately 20 meters in height with incredibly long arms and legs. Its skin was pale as snow with what looked like spikes and plates of bone protruding through its flesh. From its head cascaded a long mane of hair as black as the deepest shadows of twilight. Its strangest features by far were the two plates that jutted from atop its head, like the horns of a goat.

The cannons couldn't move fast enough to aim as the horned titan crossed the distance between the forest and the river quickly and launched itself at the closest of the two ships. Terror froze Hjördís to her core as the titan landed beside the ship and stooped down. "No," the hushed plea escaped her lips as the titan grabbed hold of the ship and picked it up. Effortlessly, the titan tossed the ship to shore where it landed on its side, spilling it's passengers onto the grass.

Taking no more than a moment to respond internally, Hjördís turned to Boris, "Get a message to Sotiris! Tell him to rendezvous with me in the town and so we can begin rescuing civilians. Then signal for Jeong Ji to split her team between interfering with the abnormal titan and any incoming titans. NOW!" She shouted her orders at the giant man who cringed away before repeating the orders to his men. Rage building up inside her, Hjördís unsheathed her blades and ran off the wall, ignoring the pleas of Boris and his men.

After she reached the town below, Sotiris and his men met her. There was smoking titan blood on his blades. "Your orders, Commander?" He shouted above the howling wind as maneuvered down the river.

"They're simple, Sotiris. Rescue as many civilians as possible. Jeong Ji and her regiment will keep titans off our backs." Her eyes never left the spilled ship as they sailed through the air toward it. _Thank god for the old man's intuition._ It had landed amongst a group of the 3dm gear training posts, this would make rescuing the civilians easier.

When they landed at the ship, Sotiris's men immediately began grabbing survivors and maneuvering back to the wall. Hjördís and Sotiris stayed behind to survey the damage and casualties. Most, mainly those on the starboard side, had been crushed by the ship when it landed, a large pool of blood and organs seeping into the grass from beneath the overturned ship. Others had died after being thrown from the ship when it crashed, their necks broken when they hit the ground or their spines crushed when they hit the training pillars. Many of those that were still alive, crawling from the ship or laying in the grass, were injured, broken bones and cuts. Hjördís and Sotiris hurried to get all those alive into a safer position in the shadow of the ship; the town was too far away from where they stood, they wouldn't be able to cover the civilians that could run from titans that were sure to show up at any moment. They could only hope to carry as many away as possible. They were able to carry back 3 waves of survivors before danger reared its head again.

Hjördís was helping a woman carry her child out of the open when one of Sotiris' men shouted an alarm, pointing upriver. "C-commander! T-t-t-titan approaching!" With a gasp and a knot of fear forming in her belly, she ran to place the child with her mother and shot up to the soldier's position atop. What she saw froze her.

The horned titan was approaching, carrying the other ship in its arms. Hjördís watched in horror as it grabbed a two or three of the panicking people that were still aboard and took a bite, their bodies popping and cracking between it's teeth, their blood running down its fingers, their screams cut off by the sickening sound of tearing flesh and bursting organs. The titan then threw the lower ends of its victims where Hjördís and the soldier stood. Hjördís and the soldier dived off the pillar as the legs and feet flew past, bouncing off the stone and hitting the ground with a sickening splat. The titan grabbed more victims to eat, its lips and chin running with blood, the crimson red and gore standing out horrifically against its alabaster skin. But before the titan could bite down, an anchor pierced the back of its hand and Jeong Ji flew in to slice at the titan's eyes. Her blades missed their target, but they caused the titan to turn away from its meal and distract it for a short moment. Jeong Ji's men took no time to take advantage of the distraction and were focusing in on the nape of its neck. There was no plume of blood however as the titan brought it's hand up quickly, dropping its meal, to cover its weakest point, knocking away those soldiers closest to it.

"What? It's guarding its neck?" Sotiris asked aloud what Hjördís was thinking. It was unheard of. No titan had ever shown such self awareness before.

"Commander! More titans are approaching through the fields!" A scout landed before Hjördís and Sotiris, out of breath and very, very afraid. "It's a huge wave of them. We have to get out of here or we'll all be eaten."

Hjördís felt torn. There were still more survivors to rescue. She jumped when a hand landed on her shoulder.

"Commander, what are your orders?" Soltiris pleaded her, his voice shaking just as his hand was.

"Get.." her throat was dry and her voice cracked horrible. "Have your men get out as many as they can. And signal to Jeong to have her men hold off the titans as long as possible." She stood up straighter and spoke louder. This was no time to show fear. Her men needed her to be strong and solid, like the walls that towered behind them. "As soon as your regiment is cleared, I then want her and her people to grab all that remain."

"Yes, sir!" Sotiris saluted her then gave the orders to his men and the scouts, who relayed them on to Jeong and her people with the mirror.

Sotiris and his men began evacuating people immediately, grabbing two if they could. Hjördís grabbed the mother and child she had been helping before; the mother on her back with her arms around Hjördís' neck and the child tied to her front with the belt of a dead man. It would take more gas to carry the both of them, but the ropes and Hjördís were strong enough to hold them. Those survivors that remained behind were rushed away from the ship to a small farm building that stood not far away, a handful of soldiers left behind to guard them until Jeong Ji and her regiment came to collect them.

As soon as Hjördís landed on the wall, she called the order to signal Jeong Ji to retreat from the Titans and collect survivors at the farm. She dropped her charges off with the rest and ran back to the edge of the wall to watch for signs of trouble. Signals came back from Jeong Ji as she and her men pulled away from the horned titan and the titan horde, their blades and gear glittering as they descended upon the farm, the titans close behind them. Only a few failed to leave the farm in time to avoid the horde, and with the others laden down, there was no way and no one to save them.

For once, Hjördís was happy for the distance. The screams of the dying and the devoured were covered by the sounds of orders being shouted, of soldiers running around to obey those orders, of the men and women saved from the jaws of titans and of death crying from fear, joy, and terror. She was able to focus on those retreating back to the wall. With the horde of titans distracted by the doomed at the farm, Jeong Ji and her remaining men were safe to bring in their charges.

But behind Jeong Ji came the thundering sound of titan footsteps. Hjördís looked behind the rescuers to see the horned titan giving chase. Even with its arms burdened by the ship, it ran with incredible speed, nearly catching one of the rescuers before they were able to anchor to the wall and pull themselves upward. It came to a dead stop a short ways from the wall. This close, Hjördís could see the blood on the titan's face, the gore dangling from it's lips. She could see that there were still people alive on the ship in its arms. If only they could get to them. The way was made easier for her when the titan lifted the ship up high, pulled its arms back, and threw the ship up and over the wall. She watched, stunned, as the ship flew over her head and fell down the other side of the wall to crash in the streets below.

"Get some men down there to check for survivors," Hjördís ordered after shaking off her amazement. She then looked back at the horned titan only to find it disappearing into the distance, heading south and east, toward Shiganshina district and the wall breach.

* * *

The sun was setting over Riesentöter as Hjördís and her captains sat in conference, calculating damages, casualties, and, most importantly, their food supply. "We are isolated now, with no way to get to Wall Rose for supplies or reinforcements. We will have to fend for ourselves in whatever way we can." Hjördís rested her head in her left hand as her right hand tapped her pen against the table, careful not to splatter ink on the papers laying before her.

Sitting to her right, Jeong Ji leaned back in her chair with her feet resting on the table. "We could always scavenge the nearby towns for supplies when things get low, maybe even travel down the wall to the other districts." She gives a big yawn and leans her head back, "Maybe one of them is as isolated as we are."

"We'll have to send out a scouting party after things are settled here, then. We should remain safe, with the river completely closed off and the gates shut tight." Boris chimed in with a large yawn of his own.

"Even so, I want a guard posted at both gates with three patrols on the walls at half hour intervals." Setting her pen aside, Hjördís looked over a map of the district. "While we are good on water, so long as the river doesn't become contaminated or poisoned in some way, which would require something to happen up in Shina district, at the source, we are limited on food with our fields overrun with titans. Is there any ways to start farming within the district?" She taps the map, at the location of one of the larger parks. "Could we plow the parks, maybe? Tear down the buildings and break away pavement in the area already wrecked by the ship? Once we remove the ship of course." With an exhausted sigh, she rubbed her brow as she leaned back. "We should have plenty of seed in storage, and there should be plenty more out in the farms should we have need."

Sotiris picked his head up from where it rested on his arms on the table. "We'll have plenty of fish from the river, and we can lift in livestock once we have made proper corrals for them, and hunt for deer in the woods." He sat up fully, giving a big yawn of his own, everyone was tired after all they had endured that day. "So, can we do this? Will it work?"

"It will have to work. We have no other choice. We are isolated. We are lost."

* * *

AUTHOR NOTES:

This chapter is incredibly long. I certainly didn't mean for it to go for so long.

I am a huge fan of Shingeki no Kyojin (aka Attack on Titan). I was inspired to write this story after starting to watch the series through for the fifth time, mainly after watching the first few episodes that focused on the fall of Wall Maria. I began wondering about what happened with the other districts on Wall Maria, there is so little information on them, they don't even have names yet. I also wondered with the other districts having both of their gates intact, if they were able to withstand the invasion in any way, maybe even continue on in isolation. With this questions in mind, I created Riesentöter District and Hjördís Hávarðr and her men.

Verloren, the name of this story, is german for 'lost.' I chose this word, not because it sounds beautiful, but because of how fitting it is to what I have planned for the story, some of which is expressed in this chapter.

Riesentöter (german word meaning 'giant slayer') is placed on the western side of Wall Maria in place of the unnamed district there, west of Klorva District on Wall Rose. Outside it's inner gates sits Kleine Riese ('little giant'), a town created when the district became too full, the population too high to fit within the district's walls. Outside also sits Grünen Türme, a forest of giant trees. Beyond these lay fields of grain, herds of cows and horses, all running wild now with the titan invasion.

In future chapters (if I continue to write for this) I may name and give character to the other two unnamed districts as well, at least as they apply to my story. There is very little chance that characters from the main series will be included in the story beyond a short mentioning of their name.

If you enjoyed the story, be sure to let me know. Any comment or criticism is welcome, so long as it is constructive. If you have any suggestions, be sure to let me know as well.


	2. Chapter 2: In the Cold Light of Day

**VERLOREN**  
_Shingeki no Kyojin/Attack on Titan fanfiction_

_Livestock complacency? False prosperity?  
Give us the freedom of starving wolves!_

* * *

_chapter two  
_In the Cold Light of Day  
_year 847 | winter | two years later_

_We never expected to live through the first winter. Yet, here we are, looking at the first snowfall of our third winter in isolation. _Hjördís smiled proudly as she gazed out over the snow covered landscape that stretched out infinitely away from the wall, glowing in the cold light of the winter morning.

Though the district had trouble during their first winter with several of the old and sick dying from illness due to their lack of medicine, nobody starved, though they came close. Now they had a farm that took up almost a third of the district, planted with wheat, potatoes, and whatever other fruits and vegetables they were able to find seed for. Their livestock were thriving as well, mostly cows, sheep, and chickens for their milk, wool, and eggs. Most of the districts meat came from fish in the river or the wildlife that thrived in the forests outside the back gate; deer, game birds, rabbit, and boar. Thankfully, the soldiers found themselves hunting rabbits more often than titans when they jumped over the wall.

Today, however, Hjördís and her men were going on a more dangerous hunt.

Hjördís looked down at a list of supplies in her hand, rechecking her numbers for the last time. Behind her, men and women were saddling horses and checking the supply carts. Spare horses were tied to the back of the carts once everything was loaded and accounted for. Even with the safety of being on top of the wall granted, riding horses was preferable to walking, especially with the distance they were looking to cover.

"Are you sure there's no way to persuade you from going?" asked the approaching Jeong Ji, her arm cradled in a sling.

"I've already told you, and the others, no many times already today, Jeong Ji." She looked up from her papers to give the oriental woman a dry smirk. "With you injured, Sotiris and Boris are going to have to pull double duty. This leaves me to lead the expedition." She rolled up the list and tucked it into her jacket pocket.

The smaller woman raised and eyebrow. "Then who's going to be in command?"

"Why you of course!" Hjördís exclaimed, patting Jeong Ji on the back. "Can't trust the men to make all the important decisions after all."

Jeong Ji rolled her eyes as she shifted away from the taller woman's hand. "You've got that right. It's because of the bear that I got injured in the first place." She groaned as she flexed the fingers of her bound hand. "It's terrible not being able to fly."

Hjördís nodded and drooped her head; she felt partly at fault. She had been gone on an expedition like this one, and had left Boris in charge. As her senior, she had thought him more than qualified. Unfortunately, a titan attacked while Jeong Ji and her regiment were out hunting. As they had many times before, Jeong Ji coordinated her regiment's strategies with Boris and his men with the cannons on the wall. This time, however, Boris misheard the relay from Cadet Chastain and shouted the wrong directions to the men on the cannons, this resulted in the cannon sailing off mark and knocking Jeong Ji and several of her men out of the sky. They were able to take out the titan, but the regiment was now short several men, including its captain, with severe injuries but, thankfully, no casualties.

In order to treat their injuries, the medics were forced to dig into the emergency supplies. They had plaster aplenty to bind broken bones, but they were low on medicine to treat infection and dull pain.

"That's why we have to go," Hjördís said more to herself than to Jeong Ji. She lifted her head and gave the oriental woman a confident smile. "But we shouldn't be gone too long. The men said they could see the front gates of Kilpi Järvi from the last outpost they built."

Jeong Ji still frowned, placing her good hand on her slender hip and looking disapprovingly up at her commander. "And what are you going to do if you find people there?"

Hjördís just continued to smile at her. "If there are people still there, hopefully we can open up trade with then, put people in the outposts to secure the wall, and have them to aid us if something happens here. " Shrugging, she turns and walks to her horse, a dun mare that would have looked more comfortable pulling a plow, but was the perfect size to carry the statuesque Commander of Riesentöter. "We'll reach the last outpost in a week, depending on the weather," she continued as she tightened the saddle and adjusted the saddlebags. "It could take us another week to finish the remaining ramps needed to reach the district." With a shrug and crooked smile, Hjördís turned back to the smaller woman, "We'll be gone at least a month, depending on what we find and the weather."

With small disgruntled noise, Jeong Ji looked away from her commander, out over the snow covered plains that stretched away from the wall. "You should have waited until spring."

Hjördís followed her gaze and sighed, "Probably, but we need the medicine now." She rubbed her brow as her eyes strained against the glare from the snow. "And with Shiganshina compromised and full of titans, its too dangerous to scavenge for it there. And what we were able to get has been used up."

With her lips pursed, the oriental woman thought for a moment then looks up at Hjördís. "Were we able to get supplies from Dr. Yeager's home?"

"Unfortunately, no," Hjördís replied as she shook her head. "His home was crushed by debris, and we were unable to find a way inside what was left before titans descended upon us. What was there was probably destroyed along with the house anyways. It's too dangerous to go back."

"You said the men could see the gates of district. Was it..?" Jeong Ji looked afraid to finish her question.

"The inner gate was intact." Hjördís leaned against her horse with a deep frown. "But the outer gate could have been destroyed. We won't know until we get there."

Giving her a sad smile, Jeong Ji walked up to Hjördís, grabbing one of her hands with her good one. "You have a long trip ahead of you, don't worry so much until you get there."

Hjördís returned her smile, a small amount of color coming to her cheeks, as she squeezed her friend's hand. "I'll try not to."

"Commander, we're ready to go!" came the cry from down the line.

Letting out a deep breath, Hjördís straightened up. With a worried smile, she looked down at her regiment captain. "Well, I guess it's time to go then." Hesitantly, after looking around, she brought a hand up and caressed the smaller woman's cheek. "While I'm gone..."

"Don't you dare worry about us, or me. We'll be just fine," Jeong Ji interrupted her. Letting go of Hjördís's hand, she grabbed the front of the taller woman's shirt and pulled her down to look her in the eye. "You just come back safe to me." And with that she placed a kiss on her cheek before letting her go. "I don't care how much bigger than me you are, if you wind up dead, I'll kick your ass." After giving the stunned Hjördís a light punch in the side, Jeong Ji turned to walk down the wall toward the lift.

Hjördís watched her go with a confused, but happy, grin on her lips as she gingerly pressed her fingers to the spot Jeong Ji's lips had touched. Letting out a small chuckle, her face red, she turned to her horse, hiding her face in his neck as she composed herself. Last thing she wanted was for her men to see her swooning and giggling like an infatuated teenager.

"Commander, we should get going before the sun gets any higher."

Clearing her throat, Hjördís turned to face the one who spoke. "Yes, Alya, we'll be heading out immediately," Hjördís replied to the Expedition Captain, a tall woman who was easily identified by red and gold hijab she wore.

"Shall I give the orders, then?"

"Yes, you may." Hjördís nodded as she swung up onto the saddle of her house.

"Mount up, men, we're heading out!" Alya shouted the orders as she turned her horse down the line, her voice ringing loud in the morning air despite her frail frame.

Hjördís guided her horse to follow, the big plow having more trouble pushing through the line than Alya's much smaller horse. Everyone was mounted and ready by the time Hjördís took her place at the head of the line with Alya.

"Would you like to give the order, Commander?" The olive skinned woman asked her, with a smirk on her lips.

Hjördís bowed to her as low as her seat provided. "It would be my pleasure." Straightening in the saddle, she raised her right hand high. "Get ready men! Let's move out!" She shouted the order and dropped her arm sharply, and the platoon moved forward, following the wall west and north to Kilpi Järvi.

* * *

The icy, frozen conditions slowed down the expedition to a crawl. With only horses, they might have been able to make faster time, but with the oxen drawn carts of supplies and building materials for the ramps, they had to take it slower. However, other than the weather, they didn't run into any problems, until they were a few days away from their target.

That night found Hjördís sitting alone at a low burning fire, her only company was her horse and the night sky above. While there were soldiers on watch, they were too busy keeping an eye out for trouble to pay any attention to their thoughtful commander. Beyond the sounds of sleeping people, horses, and cattle, Hjördís could hear the loud echoing footsteps of the few titans that had been drawn in by their presence. It was an unnerving sound, but, with the fifty feet of wall between her and them, she was able to remain calm.

Hjördís was dozing off when she heard the scuffling of boots approaching her. She remained still and kept her eyes closed until a soft hand touched her shoulder. She opened her eyes to find Alya crouched beside her, the woman's dark face pinched with worry. "Wha-" Hjördís opened her mouth to speak, but stopped when Alya shook her head. The captain then stood up and motioned for Hjördís to follow her. Hjördís did just that, moving as quietly as she could so as not to wake those still sleeping.

It wasn't until they had left the ring of light from the farthest fire that Alya spoke. "Haluk says that something is coming."

"Did...did he say what it was?" The commander asked, worry and fear causing her to stutter.

Alya shook her head, "He said he didn't know." She tapped her nose, "He says it smells like a titan...but different."

Memories of the horned titan from two years ago flashed through her mind as they continued down the wall in the dark. A few moments later down the wall, Hjördís spotted four silhouettes kneeling on the edge of the wall. When they got closer, she was able to recognize Haluk and three of Alya's elite scouts. As they approached, tall and dark Haluk turned and signaled for them to duck down and come closer.

"Do we know anything more, Haluk?" Alya asked in a hushed tone as she knelt down beside her scout.

Haluk shook his said, "Nothing yet, Captain. I sent Cande out to scout the area below." He turned his head to gaze down the wall. "She should be back soon."

Soon the whistling of wires announced the return of Cande. Hjördís knew her to be calm even under pressure, but the woman was breathing heavily and had the most disturbed look on her dark face. "Captain. Commander," she said in a hushed tone and crouched down with everyone.

"Did you find anything, Cande?"

"Yes, Commander. It's a titan, just like Haluk says...but," she hesitated, taking a deep breath.

"But what, Cande?"

Everyone had turned to look at the scout now, different degrees of curiosity and fear. Hjördís was sure they were all thinking that same as her; they hadn't seen the horned titan for two years, but it was hard to forget.

"It-its different," Cande spoke softly, terror apparent in her shaky voice. "Different even from the one two years ag-"

"Hush!" Haluk whispered sharply, cutting off Cande's report. Everyone's gaze turned to him. "It's coming."

With that, everyone quieted and listened. It was soft, but they could hear the definite booming footsteps of a titan, coming from the base of the wall beneath them. A few moments later the footsteps stopped and were quickly followed by the sound of crumbling stone and faint vibrations beneath their feet. _Is it...climbing the wall? Different indeed,_ Hjördís thought to herself, keeping herself calm and still to hear the continued sound. Louder and louder they came, the vibrations heavier and heavier. Hjördís signaled the command to hide in shadow of the wall segment beside them; she wanted to see this...different titan.

She didn't have to wait long. When the vibrations were at their loudest, a large hairy hand suddenly grabbed the top of the wall, not far from where they were hiding. It was followed quickly by its large body. It was different from anything they'd seen before, this titan, with its body mostly covered with dark fur like an animal. The titan's head was small compared to its robust torso and its arms were incredibly long. Everyone was holding their breath as the beastly titan stood just feet from them. Thankfully, it didn't seem to sense their presence as it began climbing it's way down the other side of the wall without even looking their way.

Nobody dared to speak until they could no longer feel the vibrations coming up the wall. Hjördís was the first speak and all she said was a simple command that everyone was more than willing to follow. "Let's head back to camp." They made there way back quickly, as quietly as they had come, everyone busy with their own thoughts and fears. _First the horned titan, now this...beast titan? I've seen many different kinds of abnormals, but these were...different._ She could think of no better word for them, they were different from anything she'd ever seen before or ever heard about. They knew so little about the titans as it was, but these titans changed all that.

Things had changed since the fall of Wall Maria, Hjördís didn't yet know how much.

* * *

A few mornings later, Hjördís found herself looking at the inner gate and walls of Kilpi Järvi, and the lakes that gave the district its name. Kilpi Järvi, "Shield Lake," named such because of the two lakes that lay outside the districts inner and outer gates. These lakes had proven useful in holding back titans from the districts walls, either by slowing them down and making them vulnerable against cannon fire and being a useful barrier for those titans that wouldn't step foot into it. Hjördís found herself hoping that the lakes had done their job and kept the district safe. Even if there were no people there, the district should have plenty of supplies for Riesentöter and her people. In a day or two, she would have her answer.

The men were already hard at work, split into four teams. Two teams worked on building the ramps that would allow them to get the carts and horses to the district. The third team took care of the animals and set up camp, while the fourth was on patrol and hunted in the trees below for game. The longer they could extend their rations the better, and everyone was tired of bread and cheese. Even rabbit would be an improvement. Hjördís aided the first and second teams in building the ramps, her tall muscular form useful for carrying and placing the heavy stone blocks. She enjoyed the heavy labor; as Commander of Riesentöter's garrison forces, she usually spent most of her days at her desk or commanding from afar, even after the wall fell. Hjördís found herself longing for her days as a regiment captain or even as a cadet, she preferred to be in the action, to shed tears, sweat, and blood along with the men and women she commanded.

Three days after construction began, the expedition received a clear sign that Kilpi Järvi wasn't as abandoned as they had feared it would be.

Hjördís was sliding a block into place when she heard a familiar voice call from behind her.

"Now you are the last person I ever expected to see this far north."

With a gasp of recognition Hjördís turned to see a very familiar figure standing at the edge of the wall behind her. "Brynjar? Is that you?"

Giving a loud laugh, the large blonde, blue eyed man walked forward and pulled her into an embrace. "Who else would it be, cousin? I'm a little short to be a titan."

"I don't know, you two are titans in your own right," came the snarky reply from a short, dark skinned woman who walked around Brynjar's giant form.

"Adaeze!" Hjördís pulled the woman into an embrace, lifting her off the ground. "I can't believe you're both alive!" She exclaimed after releasing the shorter woman.

At this point, everyone of the expedition had stopped what they were doing to stare at the newcomers.

"Care to introduce us, Hjördís?" Alya asked as she came foreward, holding her hand out to Brynjar and Adaeze.

"Of course," Hjördís replied with a smile. "Alya this is my cousin, Brynjar Snorrisson, Commander of Kilpi Järvi's Garrison, and his wife, Regiment Captain Adaeze. Brynjar, Adaeze, this is Alya Saab, Captain of the Riesentöter Expedition Troop."

The three of them shook hands and shared pleasantries, before Bryjar turned back to his cousin. "I have to say, cousin, I'm glad that your district is living up to its name and reputation. It's not a surprise that you and your people would survive." He gave a hearty laugh, though there was a touch of sadness to it. "But where are my manners? You and you men must be exhausted. Even traveling along the wall, it must have been a long trip." Wrapping an arm around Hjördís' shoulders, he smiled warmly at her. "You and yours will dine with us tonight and rest. I shall send some men up to help your people finish this project you have going, and we'll get your horses back on the ground where they belong."

"That would be much appreciated, Brynjar. But I didn't come just to dine with you," Hjördís said with a serious tone, her smile gone from her face. "I have plans and ideas to share with you. As well as questions that you might be able to help me answer."

"Of course, Hjördís. Whatever I can do to help," Brynjar nodded as he let go of her. "Shall we continue this discussion in my office?"

After leaving orders with Alya and the expedtion, Hjördís followed her cousin and his wife down the wall to the district, a feeling of joy in her heart. There was a greater chance of survival with the help of Brynjar and Kilpi Järvi. They weren't alone.

* * *

A week had passed since Hjördís and Alya's expedition had left. In that time, Jeong Ji's arm had healed well, almost as good as it was before. She was very happy to be 'flying' again, spending as much time practicing with her 3DM gear as possible when she wasn't swamped with her duties as Hjördís' temporary replacement. She was staring at a pile of said work as the sun was setting over Riesentöter, the last warm rays of the sun filtering in through the windows behind her.

_You'd think that after the wall fell we wouldn't have need for paper work anymore. I guess some things never change, _Jeong Ji thought with a sigh, pulling a sheet of paper from the top of the pile; a request to increase rations. From the date on the letter, it looked to be one that Hjördís had been ignoring for a while. Jeong figured she should probably do the same. When the room grew too dark for her to read without candlelight, Jeong Ji gathered her 3DM gear and left the office, deciding to join her regiment in their nightly hunt.

Jeong Ji's hunters had taken up hunting at night, which proved to be far safer than hunting in the day. It was less likely for her men to run into titans during the night, and, even if they did, the titan would most likely be too lethargic to give much of a chase. There were exceptions to every rule of course, but they were safe from the majority. At first the hunters had objected to her joining them, feeling that it would be a great loss to the district if something were to happen to her. But she eventually won them over and it became routine.

When Jeong Ji arrived at the top of the wall, the hunters were already there. Everyone was prepping their gear and hunting equipment. Along with their blades, every hunter was armed with a bow and a quiver of arrows. While a gun would ensure an easier, quicker kill, the bow was almost silent and less likely to attract titan attention. The less attention they drew, the better.

"Good evening, Captain," the always cheerful Lyse said with a wide smile as she handed Jeong Ji her bow.

Jeong Ji's only reply was a tired smile as she took the bow from Lyse. The pale girl was the only one to speak as they all got ready and then, one by one, they all dropped off the wall and headed to different parts of the forest. Jeong Ji was the last one to drop off the wall, double checking the makeshift map posted to see where the day hunters and scouts of Boris' regiment had spotted titans during the day, different colored pins and strings marking what type and how big. It wasn't the most reliable system, but it helped everyone stay aware and prepared. All the pins today, all five of them, were red, marking normal titans; any black would have marked abnormals, just as their flares do. There were strings tied to each pin, the colors detailing the size class of that titan; in this case, three of strings were yellow, which meant they were all three to six meters. There was one orange, a seven meter, and one red, a fifteen meter. Looking over the map, Jeong Ji was relieved to find that most of the marks were placed out in the fields, only one, the fifteen meter, was in the forest. Not much of a danger, it would be easy to spot and easy avoid there. After quickly memorizing the coordinates of each pin, she followed the others over the wall, maneuvering into the forest.

The forest was quiet, the only noises to be heard were the soft song of the wind, the rustling of leaves, and the whistling and whirling of Jeong Ji's own 3DM gear. Though she was armed with a bow and arrows, Jeong Ji planned to do very little hunting. She only wanted time to think without the pressures of duty crushing down on her. However, so she wouldn't be entirely useless, she dedicated herself to scouting for titans, starting at the edges of the forest then following a spiraling path to the center.

Though Jeong Ji had planned to think about the running of the district, the proposals she had looked over, and the reports from the scouts, her thoughts instantly turned to the wayward expedition and, most significantly, Hjördís. Jeong Ji and Hjördís had known each other for years, went through training and rose through the ranks together. When Hjördís was recruited to the Garrison of Riesentöter, Jeong Ji was quick to follow. They were strong friends and...maybe even more. Neither of them remember how it started, but after coming to Riesentöter, they found themselves in a more romantic mindset, flirting softly, and enjoying each other's company whenever possible, even when they had nothing to say. However, before, the two of them had only ever held hands in secret; Jeong Ji placing a kiss on the blond giant's cheek in public had been an incredibly bold move. She blushed now at the memory of it, and chuckled when she remembered the look on the usually incredibly calm commander's face. She was going to have to do such bold things more often.

When something fell out of the trees at her, Jeong Ji was forced to turn her mind from those joyous thoughts and face the horror of what was to come.

Jeong Ji dodged the falling branch with ease only to find herself face to face with something horrific. A titan was clinging to the tree before her and she had no time to escape out of reach before it grabbed her. Only her legs were caught, which was good for Jeong Ji as she was able to hack at the titan's fingers, but even though she was able to slice off one of it's fingers, the titan's grip didn't weaken, nor did the titan show any signs of pain. Determined to get free, she continued to hack at her captors fingers until the titan made a noise. It sounded like...laughter? It was harsh and crackly, but she couldn't think of what else it could be. Confused and disturbed, Jeong Ji looked at the titan's face for the first time. What she saw made her heart sink. It had been two years, but she remembered that face well, and the horns that rose above the titan's head proved only proved it. The horned titan was laughing at her, she was sure of it. It continued to laugh at her even as it then squeezed her legs.

The pain was incredible. Jeong Ji could hear her own bones breaking, the pops and cracks audible over the titan's laughter. Despite the pain, all Jeong Ji could do was stare into the titan's eyes. From corner to corner, they were pure black like a raven's eye. Deep, soulless, empty, and yet so full of malice that Jeong Ji felt that she was staring into the eyes of death itself.

"Captain!" Lyse cried as she and her twin swooped in to save the trapped captain. She and Ren maneuvered in close to the horned titan's face, trying to swipe at its eyes, hoping to at least distract it, at most blind it.

Their voices helped Jeong Ji shake out of her thrall and regain a rational mind. Thinking quickly and with a clearer mind, Jeong Ji aimed her handgrips and fired the 3DM grapple hooks at the titan's eyes. For the first time, the titan showed pain as it reeled and dropped her to try to pull the hooks from its eyes. The small woman used the momentum of her fall to swing up into the branches of a distant trees, only retracting the wires after she had was sitting on a solid branch. With her out of the titan's grip, the twins retreated and maneuvered to her.

"Captain, are you alright?" Ren asked, his voice shaky as he ran to her where she sat. Not far from them, his twin, Lyse was firing a signal flare; black.

"No," Jeong Ji replied, her voice shaky with pain and draining adrenaline. The pain of her broken legs was getting to her, and was hard to fight back. "It...broke my legs." Then the tears came.

Ren stared at her with mouth agape. Then, swallowing, he called to his sister. "Lyse! Help me pick her up. We've got to get her back to the wall." Only giving a nod, Lyse then fired a blue flare before hurrying over to them.

Below them, the horned titan was quickly retreating.

* * *

Author's Notes:

Well, I finally did it. Here's another chapter. Not quite as long as the first, but still pretty long hehe. Well I hope you all enjoy this chapter as much as you did the last one =)

More info for the story!

**Kilpi Järvi:**  
"Shield Lake"  
•Northern District of Wall Maria  
•Outside it's outer gate lays a large lake, Suojata ("to shield"), that shields the walls from titans.  
•Outside it's inner gate is another smaller lake, Miekka ("sword"). Beyond the lake are the rugged foothills of the Punainen ("red") Moutains range.

Remember, all information on the other districts of Wall Maria, which are currently unnamed in the official series, are completely made up by me only for the purpose of this story.


End file.
